Cork amateur David Howard taking plenty from his memorable Open experience
David Howard of Ireland tees off on the first hole on day one of the The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Pic: Sean M Haffey/Getty Images
Irish amateur David Howard may have missed the cut on his major championship debut but the Fota Island golfer had plenty of positives to take from his two rounds at The Open.
Howard, 27, was beginning a well-earned weekend off watching the golf in the company of family and friends as round three got underway at Royal Birkdale. The Open qualifier had helped Munster to the Men’s Interprovincial title and his club to the provincial final of the Barton Shield before beginning his preparations for the biggest week of his golfing life on Merseyside last Monday.
He looked more than comfortable in the surroundings as he teed off for his first round, supported by around 100 fellow Fota Island members who cheered every shot of his opening 74 and second-round, one-under-par 69 on Friday night.
It was not quite enough to make the weekend, Howard missing the halfway cut by two strokes as all 10 amateurs in the field suffered an early departure from the final major of the year. Yet the 2025 East of Ireland champion exited with head held high and taking confidence from what he felt he had gained from the experience.
“It was an unbelievable week and shows my game is not that far off,” Howard said. “My game today and the last two days wasn't great, I thought, but just shows that even with being off, I'm still up around that mark, which is great.
“I played nowhere near my best golf and only missed the cut by two shots. I suppose there's a lot to take from that and I suppose shows I'm well capable. Just need to put a bit more work and let's see where we can go.”
Asked for his highlights from the week, the Currabinny, Co. Cork native said: “Just the whole thing in general. My first time at an Open, even as a spectator, so it was just unbelievable, everything.
“Even just being in the locker room with all the top players and in the gym with all the top players. I think I'm going to look at it back in a week's time like, how was I there, to be honest. It's like being in a dream. It's been such a great week. The whole set-up is unbelievable.
“This is definitely going to push me on to try and get back to this. This is where I want to be, and hopefully I can get back here.”
Following a first-round of four over, Howard had given himself every chance of playing his way into the weekend as he turned for home on Friday at one under par for his first 18 holes of the day. Another birdie at the par-four 11th took him to two over par for the week and just one shot the wrong side of the cutline, only for his round to come unstuck with a bogey at the par-five 14th.
The Corkman did well to limit the damage to that one hole but there was a sense of what might have been as he described his day’s work.
“It was great to have an under-par round in The Open championship, which is mad to think about. But yeah, a bit disappointed with the way I finished, but happy how I went at it today. Stayed really aggressive, hit driver on every hole and just disappointed with the finish, but great experience overall.
“I could see one-over was kind of looking likely. Looking forward to the par-fives (at 14 and 17), but a couple loose drives, bad timing, got a bit quick and didn't work out in the end, but yeah, it was a great day all around.”
Howard showed his appreciation for his large band of supporters, and added: “I had plenty of Fota Island people out there today. The support out there is unbelievable. Can't thank them all enough. I'd say the Ryanair flight on Wednesday was just people coming here to watch me. It was class, and it was such a great experience.
“There might have been a few tears (over the closing stretch). Everyone out there today are special people to me. I tried to hold myself back from getting emotional myself, and I'll allow that to come out soon. But no, it was such a special few days, to be honest.
“We booked a ferry home for Monday two days ago, so we're going to stick with that plan. Go out and watch it and see how it's done and maybe take a bit from that too and just enjoy the weekend. It'll be a great weekend anyway.”
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